Contributing Writer
The Rev. Laura A. Csellak, Chaplain
Lutheran-Jamestown
Some of you may recall the American science fantasy comedy TV series It’s About Time that aired on CBS for one season in 1966–1967. The situation was that astronauts Mac McKenzie (Frank Aletter) and Hector Canfield (Jack Mullaney) travelled faster than the speed of light and were sent back in time to prehistoric days. The catchy theme song went like this: “It’s about time, It’s about space, About strange people in the strangest place”. I still recall boys on the playground adapting the song and shouting “It’s about time, it’s about space, it’s about time I slapped your face” which wasn’t very nice, but did show the popularity of this short-lived TV show.
It’s about time. Daylight savings time began March 12 and some of us are still changing our clocks to the new time. It’s a bothersome activity, isn’t it? We look at the clock often during each day, with the frequent topic of conversation being that time moves either too fast or too slowly. Of course time always moves at the same speed, but the circumstances of our lives at a particular time makes it feel like time is moving faster or slower.
Did you know that there are at least two distinct kinds of time? Both are Greek words. The one we talk about when we look at the clock is called Chronos Time. It measures quantitative time or an exact time. Chronos time occurs 53 times in the Bible as in Galatians 4:4, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law….so that we might receive adoption as children.”
The second kind of time is called Kairos Time. It is defined as an opportune time or God’s time. This occurs 87 times in the Bible as in Romans 5:6 “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”
When we live only by Chronos Time, living by the clock, there’s not much room for God to speak to us in Kairos Time. Kairos Time involves waiting on the Lord and the working of the Holy Spirit. When we experience the Kairos Time perspective, we can see the world through a different lens. That can be exciting!
Professor Carly Berna of the Pepperdine Business Blog offers this suggestion for how to live more in Kairos Time: Pray each morning for the Lord to speak to you about opportune moments throughout the day. Then pay attention to what is happening around you. What person or experience may be an avenue for God to teach you or speak to you?
Whether your days are flying by or feel like they are dragging, the Lord welcomes you into Kairos Time. When such times come to you, rejoice – and then share your experience with someone around you.
For more inspiration and insights from past columns, please visit www.jamestowngazette.com and click on the Faith Matters page. The Jamestown Gazette is proud to present our county’s most creative and original writers for your enjoyment and enlightenment.
